Dam.



P. RUTENBERG.

. v DAM. v APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1912.

.Paten ted Jan. 4, 1916-."

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

P. RUTENBERG.

DAM. APPLICATION FILED nov 29, m2.

1 'Pateiited Jan.4,1916

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ry/k 2 0 2; 3 0

P. RUTENBERG. DAM.

APPFICATION FILED NOV. 29; I912.

1,1674 Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

I duction of the danger due to a break in the by providing two difierent places, the upper part of thefigure' being a' section through the chain- I onrrau [STATES ings, in .which through iof the dam walls in horizontal. sect v '11 shows-a forxn of the pressure on nits}.

PATENT OFFICE.

v PETE, RUTENBERG, 0F GENOA, ITALY.

DAM.

Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

Application filed November 29, 1912. Serial-No. 734,089.

; of small.bodies, in order to regulate or distribute the water pressure which acts on the dam.

The invention has for its object to break up independently of the depth of the water, the pressure thereof into arbitrarily small quantities, in order to decrease the danger arising from the use of dams in which a structure receives the Whole head of pressure at one point of stress.

The invention also contemplates the redam, and a consequent instantaneous'discharge of the whole body of, confined water a dam in which a break is easily repaired, the leakage of water is slight and the dam is not put out of operation thereby.

The invention is disclosed in the draw- -Figure 1 is a section through the dam at.

bers, and t hermlower part being a sectlon 'th-roughj' the supply passages with the communicating conduits between the chambers indicated as taken on the line T T T T, of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section the dam on the line Q 'Q Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line R 3,, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows a section similar to Fig. 1 through a modified form of the invention, wherein the lower part of thefigure is a section taken on the line N,, N, of Fig. F. Fig. 5 is a plan view partly in section of the form shown in Fig. .4. dis a section on the line Q, Q, of and 8 are diagrammatic views of other. modi- ,fications. Figs. 9 and 10 showspecial'forms shown in sections, Fig. 12;)15 a ,seet 'oii taken in the Kingdom I Fig. .4. Figs. 7

on line Q Q of Fig. 13, showing thecutting off mechanism in the supply conduits together with its regulating mechanism tion through the discharge galleries for sediment, together with a valve for the same. i

Accordingto this invention the total water-head which is'indicated by the letter H, is subdivided by, means of a number of water reservoirs M, N, P, formed'by verse walls A B A; B A B A, B each of the latter diminishing in height in the down stream direction in such a way' as to provide, in the above mentioned reservoirs, levels which decrease step by step from upstream to down-stream. The walls A B etc., are supported by a plurality of longitudinal walls or buttresses-l-l, 2-2, 3 3,'

.. 9-9, which form with the transverse walls a unitary structure. I Said supporting walls or buttresses are providedat suitable intervals with transverse openings 0,, 0 ,0 which permit the passage of water therethrough', while the transverse walls are water-tight. The transverse and longitudinal walls above mentioned thus form transverse and longitudinal series of reservoirs, and those reservoirs lying transversely next to one another-as between successive walls. 1-1, 22, etc., permit the waterto stand at equal levels therein. Each wall A B A B is subjected to a pressure of water corresponding to the difference of the levels of water on each of its sides, that is,

it is subjected to a .pressure'equalto are; difierence between the pressure against 1ts up-stream face and the counter pressure against its down-stream face. At any point we on the up-stream face of a wall, as A B,,'

Fig. 1 ,'the pressure ofthe'water would be 'wm- 7cm,=a.7c=h= The diagram of the head: of water transa, Z), (Z, 7. At the depth 72, at the point 76 cor- I responding to the level of the water in the next lower reservoir the water-head reaches its maximum value which value is maintained until the ground surface or base 7) at the bottom of the wall A, B, is reached. It is not necessary, if it be otherwise preferable, that the value it be the same for each of the transverse walls,

- but on the other hand, the upper surface of verse walls. That is to say, for any height of water-head one can render the pressure of the water arbitrarily small, this being one of the principal aims in securing the highest degree ofstability in a dam.

The transverse walls which serve to sub divide the total head H can be constructed either vertically as shown in Fig, l, or inclined as shown in Fig. 4, or partially vertical and partially inclined as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. Furthermore, each wall instead of having a flat surface can have a bent one, forming a smgle arch or a number ofarches,

or any combination of arches and of flat surfaces, in, connection with the buttresses, as indicated in Figs. 9 and 10.

The maximum value of the difference of level it, which is fixed for each transverse Wall, is maintained automatically by means of auto-regulators. Said auto-regulators (Figs. 1-6 andJQ-l i) consist, for each wall A B A B of the horizontal pipe sections a a a which connect each up-stream reservoir or'chamber with the next lower or down-stream reservoir, and vertical pipe sections 6 b 6 whose intakes 0 c. 0 respectively determine the maximum Water level in the reservoir Which lie on the downstream .reservoirs M, N, P I ,filling'each of said side of the several transverse walls. The pipes a a a and b b I), cross one another in a service passage or-gallery G Through each pipe extends a horizontal axis or shaft 7a,, which supports thetwo valves m and .n, so that they stand in rigid relation to one another. The weight of valve m is greater than that of the valve 91., so that both valves normally assume a horizontal position (Figs. 12-14). The pipes a a,, a are thus normallyopen while the pipes 6 b b, are normally closed. The water confined abbve the dam enters into the upper set of open pipes a, and passes unhindered into the first and subsequently into each of the following reservoirs to its capacity. As soon as the en thereby closing the piped and cutting off the passage of the water to the lowest downstream reservoir P. The valve then remains closed to the water pressure from the lip-stream side of the transverse wall A, B The same operation is repeated successively in each of the preceding reservoirs N, M, while the water level in the lake above the dam rises. \Vhen the water level in the lake formed above the dam sinks and assumes a lower level than the water in the first up-stream reservoir M of the dam, then by reason of the pressure of the water the valve 922. is opened and the therewith rigidly mounted valve n is again returned to its original horizontal position, whereby the water-head in the reservoirs and in the lake may return to normal. The same process is carried out in each of the low 1- lvingreservoirs in succession, while the level of the water in the lake falls.

The central portion of each valve on is provided with an easily removable thin tight wall or section (Z whose power of resistance is only slightly greater than the above men tioned maximum water pressure 71, between the two adjacent containers or reservoirs. hen for any unusual reason, the waterlevel falls in any one of the reservoirs of the dam, while the valve on. which lies up-stream remains in vertical position, and the difference of water-level in the two adjacent reservoirs becomes greater than the aforementioned quantity it, then said safety diaphragm d is broken by the increased water permitted and a refilling of the downstream reservoir for the establishment of the necessary back-pressure occurs.

The valve m is mounted in an iron housing or casing M,, which can be opened and closed by means of either of two valves I and II which are located lip-stream and downstream respectively, with regard to 'the casing M when an inspection or change of the valve m or the diaphragm (Z is necessary. The valve n can be arranged in a similar housing. The axle or shaft 70 of the valves m and n is also provided with a h'and-wheel o, by means of which both valves can also be operated by hand, to move them. into either position.

The intake 0 0,, 0 of the pipes 2),, 7),, 7), are prov ded with a grating 9 (Figs. 1, 3, -lland 6) to prevent the passage of foreign bodies and substances therein. Since the pipes 6 b 5 are empty, except during the few moments required for filling said pipe thermore, the ice from the reservoirs of the dam ,can not ga n access thereto, since it forms below the level of the intake 0 0,, 0

. The pipes or conduits, a a a,, canbe cleaned of sediment or deposits by opening the. valve m for a few minutes by hand, when the lake and reservoirs of the dam are full'of Water.

The resistance of the Walls A B A, B

A E, is measured for a Water-head h. The intake of the pipe a, of the first upstream wall A B of the dam can therefore v be located at the height 7:- 'above the base of the dam in order to avoid any eventual clogber.

For carrying off the deposits and sedi-- lowest part 'ging of the pipe'by deposits or sediment.

By a slight increase of the resistance of the of the first wall A,- B this height can also be increased. The service gallery G and pipes a a a and b b h, of the automatic water head regulator can also be doubled, tripled or otherwise increased in numment, the cleaning or flushing galleries or conduits S (Figs. 2-6 and are provided, said conduits or galleries being closed by means of out oils or valves IV. In order to stead of being decreased as has been prevent these valves from being clogged or jammed by sediment, they are arranged in thegalleries proper. In order to permit their repair or inspection, further valves 'W, are provided which can be used to temporarily close the passage of the water through.

the galleries. The valve W' is generally opened during periods of high water, in order to utilize the surplus water and the high pressure for cleaning the deposits from the lake. In order to relieve th'ese valves, the galleries or conduits S are connected near their up-stream ends with vertically .arranged shafts T. Thus, during the times of high water, thevalves WV are relieved of a portion of the rip-stream pressure by the Water which enters the shafts T and backs against the valves W, so that they can be easily raised by means of the chains or rope-s 79 independently of the depth of the dam structure. Another means provided for 'cleaning'the reservoirs M, N, P, consists of Duringtimes of high Walden-the stability,

of the above described dam is increased, in the case with dams heretofore; 1n use. the one handresult is secured by reason of the factthat the body of water which passes j over the dam is divided by means 'ofthe water reservoirs M, N. P. forming a series of steps, and by thev fact that the thrust ofthe several water falls is absorbedby the several Water reservoirs which act as cush- KIOIIIS. Furthermore, it also appears that the length'of the overflow edge or spillway of each Wall A B A B decreases successively inthe direction of the fall, and the water, which goes over the spillway, thereto the normal difference in level h. By this dam construction, other related problems in connection with the construction of large dams are avoided.

It may occur that. the action of the overflow, which occurs from the over-fiow edges of the walls A B A B will not prove suflicient for the carrying off of the flood water. In this case there are arranged in the 1 upper, least-burdened part of the supporting walls 1-1, 2-2, a series of chambers or passages 10,, 11 a (Fig. 11), in sufficient number, which are provided with horizontal up-streaminlets and down-stream outlets which are located at suitable heights and operate as do the pressure pipes in order to permit the passage of the water in suitable quantity. The reservoirs which are formed by the walls of different heights can also be used for the furtherpurpose of storing the water and can also be adapted to simultaneously Should it be desired to increase the origi- I nal depth of the dam, it is possible to increase the lengths of the supporting walls l '1, 2-2, 3- 3 downstream and. 60 add to the height of the transverse Walls of the dam and thereby increase the depth of a the water head. Such 'a provision for the increase in the depth of the water. is not possible in dams which have heretofore been constructed.

Dams of the above described kind can bebuilt without regard to the height of the dam upon ground of any kind, without the necessity of first seeking a rock bottom or similar foundation. The several walls need only be built far enough into the ground, so that the resistance of the alluvial soil to the filtration of the Water through the ground issufiiciently great to withstand the waterpressure and the value of the partial pressure it for the particular' dam. ."v Vhen" the ground is only capable of a slight-resistance or possesses little stability the walls must naturally beset up upon foundations oi? sufficient width.

The above described dam construction will not only serve for damming rivers and torrents, but will also serve for any sort of reservoir or canal, and can be constructed of any suitable material such as reinforced concrete, masonry, metal, wood or simple concrete, or any combination of the .above mentioned materials, and may serve for the retention 01 any sort of [Mid such as water, mineral oils, etc.

\V hat I claim as my invention is 1. A dam construction comprising in combination, longitudinal and transverse walls forming series of reservoirs longitudinally of a stream successive reservoirs decreasing in depth in the direction of flow of the stream, means for filling one reservoir from the contents of the preceding reservoir, and means controlled by the everllow of the reservoir to cut oil the supply thereto.

A dam construction comprising in combination, successive walls forming a series of liquid containing reservoirs of successively diminishing depth in the direction of flow of the stream, means for filling each reservoir from the preceding one, and means controlled by the overflow of said reservoir for cutting ofi" the supply thereto.

3. A dam construction comprising in combination, longitudinal and transverse walls forming series. of reservoirs of successively decreasing depth in. the direction of flow of the stream, means to fillthe first up-stream reservoir from the dammed up water and each successive reservoir from the preceding reservoir, and means controlled by the overflow of each reservoir for cutting oil the water supply thereto.

4. A dam construction comprising in combination, a plurality of transverse walls of successively decreasing height in the direc-' tion of current flow, longitudinal walls joining said transverse walls and forming therewith series of alined reservoirs of equal depth and in transverse rows, successively decreasing in depth in rows in the direction of How, means to admit water from the dammed up water to the first transverse row and successively to each following row down ,stream from the preceding row, said means of flow of the stream and each reservoir receiving the overflow from the preceding reservoir, means to fill the first up-stream reservoir from the dammed up water and each successive reservoir from the preceding res ervoir, means to relieve thepressure in preceding reservoirs when any wall collapses and means controlled by the overflow in' each reservoir to maintain the water at regulated levels in said reservoir.

(5. A dam construction comprising in combin ation, successive walls forming a series of liquid containing reservoirs of successively diminishing depth in the direction of How of the stream, means for filling each reservoir from the preceding reservoir, means controlled by the overflow from each reservoir for cutting otf the supply thereto, and a gallery containing said filling and controlling means.

7. A dam construction comprising in combination, successive Walls forming a series of liquid containing reservoirs of successively diminishing depth in the direction of flow of stream, supply conduits oining each reservoir to the preceding-one, a valve in each supply conduit, a vertical'conduit in each reservoir for receiving the overflow therefrom, and avalve in eaclrvertical conduit operatively connected to the valve in the adjacent supply conduit so that the overflow into said vertical conduit will act to shut off the supply to its respective reservoir through the adj acent supply conduit.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

PETE RUTENBERG.

Sopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing-the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, 1). C. 

